1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat therapy device and a heat therapy system for applying acupressure and thermal treatment to aching parts of a patient's body using high-temperature heat and far-infrared rays emitted from the heat therapy device, thereby preventing and healing various diseases. More specifically, the present heat therapy device is provided on the upper surface thereof with a plurality of upwardly protruding acupressure knobs, to which highly thermally conductive and far-infrared emitting material is attached, and both side portions of the device are curved upward and are provided with handles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the human body has a plurality of vital acupuncture points. These acupuncture points have been widely utilized and developed in folk remedies. Namely, where acupressure and massage treatments are applied on the acupuncture points, cells of that compressed region around the acupuncture points emit heat. At this time, waste matter is discharged therefrom, and consequently the acupuncture points are opened up, thereby achieving a state suitable for certain treatments.
Examples of well known physical therapy apparatuses using the above method generally include a heat therapy apparatus adapted to apply acupressure and thermal treatment to aching parts of the patient's body using a helium lamp, an infrared lamp and so on, and a high-frequency therapy apparatus using a high-frequency lamp.
In order to use the above therapy apparatus, the patient must first position the apparatus accurately on the acupuncture points around spinal joints, then move it to other acupuncture points around other spinal joints at regular time intervals.
Such a therapy method, however, has a problem that it is difficult for motor impaired patients to use the therapy apparatus because the patient has to position the therapy apparatus on the spinal joints by himself/herself, and also move it to the other spinal joints at regular time intervals by himself/herself.
In addition, it is difficult for most patients to accurately position the therapy apparatus on the acupuncture points around the spinal joints. Consequently, most patients cannot effectively use the therapy apparatus.
A heat therapy device of a heat therapy system, designed by recognizing the above problems, is disclosed in a utility model registration filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office as Serial No. 2000-0201798. The disclosed heat therapy system is provided with a plurality of acupressure heads integrated with far-infrared emitting material. The heat therapy system has a body provided at its bottom surface with heating elements. The heating elements are arranged at equal intervals, and, especially, are densely arranged in recessed portions under the respective acupressure members.
In addition, a utility model registration, filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office as Serial No. 2000-0170080, discloses a heat therapy device of a heat therapy system constructed in such a fashion that the middle portion of the heat therapy device is indented at both side surfaces thereof, and handles are provided in both indented side surfaces of the middle portion, thereby allowing the patient to easily hold the heat therapy device to aching parts of his/her body while gripping the handles. This configuration of the heat therapy device enables the healing of the entire body to some extent.
The conventional techniques as stated above, however, have problems in that it is impossible to effectively apply the heat therapy device of the heat therapy system to the entire body without restriction, and to simultaneously apply acupressure and thermal treatment to aching parts of the patient's body.
In short, the heat therapy system using the heat therapy device is a physical therapy apparatus for applying acupressure and thermal treatment around the spinal joints of the patient using high-temperature heat and far-infrared rays emitted from the heat therapy device, thereby preventing and healing various diseases. Namely, the heat therapy device reciprocates horizontally and vertically, thereby applying acupressure and thermal treatment around the spinal joints of the patient.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a sectional view, illustrating a conventional heat therapy system. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a bed-type conventional heat therapy system comprises a mattress-shaped body 1*, a motor 2*, a chain 3*, a plurality of carriers 4*, a rail 5*, a plurality of moving plates 6* mounted on the respective carriers 4*, a curved rail 7*, and plurality of heat therapy devices 10* mounted on the respective moving plates 6*. In operation, as the chain 3* is driven by the motor 2*, the carriers 4* reciprocate linearly along the rail 5*. Along with the reciprocating movement of the carriers 4*, the moving plates 6* reciprocate vertically along the curved rail 7*.
Considering the external appearance of the conventional heat therapy bed, the beat therapy bed comprises a main mattress 100*, onto which the patient's upper body is laid, and an auxiliary mattress 101*, onto which the patient's lower body is laid. By covering these mattresses with cloth and leather sheets after installing a sponge having a certain thickness on the mattresses, the heat therapy bed is completed. In use, when the patient operates the motor and heat therapy devices using a remote control while lying on the heat therapy bed, the heat therapy devices reciprocate horizontally and vertically, thereby applying acupressure and thermal treatment to the cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae, lumbar vertebrae and so on of the patient.
The conventional heat therapy devices are adapted to vertically reciprocate along the spinal curvature of the patient lying on the mattresses, thereby applying acupressure to acupuncture points around the spine of the patient, and applying thermal treatment to the acupuncture points using high-temperature heat and far-infrared rays emitted from the heat therapy devices.
As seen from the above description, in order to increase the healing effect, the conventional heat therapy bed has a relatively complex structure with a plurality of carriers driven by the motor to reciprocate horizontally, and a plurality of the heat therapy devices installed on the respective carriers to apply acupressure and thermal treatment to aching parts of the patient. That is to say, in order to install a plurality of the heat therapy devices for increasing the effects of acupressure and thermal treatment, the conventional heat therapy bed is installed with a plurality of carriers. This deteriorates operability and reliability thereof, as well as increasing its manufacturing cost.
In order to solve the above problems, a utility model registration, filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office as Serial No. 2000-0288224, discloses a device for vertically reciprocating heat therapy devices. The device is configured in such a fashion that a carrier, driven by a motor to reciprocate horizontally, is equipped on both sides with brackets adapted to rotate around hinge shafts and linkages, and both brackets are provided with a pair of heat therapy devices, thereby increasing the effects of acupressure and thermal treatment to the acupuncture points. In addition, the device is constructed to ensure smooth operation of the carrier and heat therapy devices, thereby improving productivity and reducing manufacturing cost.
The device for vertically operating the heat therapy devices, however, has problems in that it cannot adjust the strength of acupressure and thermal treatment according to the different body shape and aching parts of the patient, and that the heat therapy devices coupled to the carrier provided in a lower mattress cannot move according to the motion of the patient's legs, thereby deteriorating the heat therapy effect. In addition, in case of the device's failure, the patient has to disassemble the device to repair it.